Book covers



Oct. 23, 1962 G. M PADDACK BOOK COVERS Filed March 2l, 1960 l0 llllllllllllllll l@ United States Patent Q 3,059,945 BUIK CUI! George M. Iaddaelr, 3338 Woodley Road NW., Washington 16, DAC. Filed Mar. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 16,355 4 Claims. (fCl. 281-29) rIltiis invention relates to a permanent, supplemental book cover. While the invention is applicable to books, generally, it is of particular interest in connection with paper-bound books, known as paperbacks Such books are of widespread popularity and are available at numerous locations such as air, rail and bus terminals, bookstores, drug stores and other places. Many of them are the literary classics or, at least, literature of more than temporary interest to the purchaser. Others are standard or present-day scholastic, philosophic or scientific works of definitely permanent value. Yet after their initial periods of usage, these books, due to the light character and construction of their covers, frequently become unsightly, with torn and soiled covers that tend to curl and spread, with resultant damage to at least some of the pages inside. In such condition, the books are, of course, not acceptable additions to the book shelves of the home or school, or of libraries, private or public, and are either disposed of or are relegated to boxes or closets where their potential usefuless and pleasure are effectively nulliiied. Even when greater care has been taken of such books and they are placed on the shelf with regularly bound books, they make an unfavorable contrast with the latter because of the wide dissimilarity of their back or hound edges which display numerous colors of paper and print and, frequently, some concavity, ridging or unevenness resulting from use.

If the foregoing is true of paperbacks provided with relatively substantial covers, it is still more apparent in books made with paper covers of little or no more substance than the pages themselves, and there are many of them, both domestic and foreign, of this character. Despite the facts mentioned, in many or most paperbacks the quality of paper and printing is good. But this merely emphasizes the unfortunate conditions and the fate that overtake so many of them.

The present invention is designed to transform to permanence and to excellent appearance these transients of the world of books, and at a minimum of time, effort and expense. It makes it possible for an individual to build up attractive uniform editions of various categories of books of his exact choice not otherwise available in such form and at a fraction of the usual cost of uniform editions. The parts and materials for these covers are very few in number and can be compactly packaged-an envelope suffices-for eiiicient storage and convenient distribution.

Briefly, the invention consists of a pair of envelope-like cover members for slidably receiving the original front and back covers, respectively, of a book. The cover members vare narrower than the original book covers so that in position they extend short of the back edges of the book, leaving exposed areas of the outer faces of the original book covers along said back edge. A connection strip of flexible, adhesively-coated material is attached by its central longitudinal portions to the back edge of the book. The lateral portions of the strip are secured to said exposed areas of the original book covers and to the adjacent outer face parts of the positioned cover members for completing the application of the book cover of this invention. Details and modifications will appear in the course of the following description and in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a book provided with a Vcover of the present invention;

3,@59ll Patented Get.. 23, 1962 FIG. 2 is a plan View of open book provided with a cover of this invention, the front cover being shown open and with a portion broken away;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and with parts broken away;

IG. 4 is an end edge view on an enlarged scale and with parts broken away, of a closed book having a modiiied form of the cover means of this invention applied thereto;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the filler strip shown as a detail of FIG. 4 and disclosing the adhesive coating on its top face overlaid by a cover strip in the initial stage of removal prior to application `of the filler;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view similar to the left portion of FIG. 3, showing a slightly modified construction of the cover board.

In greater detail, and with reference to the drawings, the book cover of this invention is adapted `for application to a paperback book 1b. The latter, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, comprises front and rear cover members 11 and 12 joined by a back edge 13.

The book cover of this invention `as shown comprises a front and a back board 14 and 15, slightly longer than 4the original front and back covers of the book and somewhat less in width. The front and back boards 'are preferably' of stili cardboard or other suitable material. Each board is overlaid on one face by an adhering covering material 16 and 1.7, respectively, folded over the front, the top and the bottom edges of the board, as at 18, 19 and 2li. These folded-over parts are adhesively secured to the adjacent portions of inner cover boards or sheets, 21 and Z2, overlying the inner faces, respectively, of the front and back boards 1dand 15, and `forming therewith a pocket or envelope for slidably receiving the front and bacl covers of the book. The inner cover sheets 21 and 22 may be substantially lighter and more flexible than their associated front and back boards and are the same or, preferably, a fraction less in length than said boards, `and of a somewhat greater width, so `as to project therebeyond as lat 23 (FIGS. 2 and 3) and cover the adjacent part of the underlying book covers, 11 and 12, respectively. The top and bottom corners of these projecting parts of cover sheets 21 and 22 may be rounded as at 24 (FIG. 2).

The front marginal portion of the inner cover sheets 21 yand 22 may be turned inwardly as at 25 (FIG. 3) to form a contact for the forward edge of the paperback covers 11 and 12 when these are inserted into their respective pockets. In this way, the book cover of this invention has its front edges extending forwardly of the book pages (see FIG. 4) therebetween, for the protection `of the later, as is the case with regularly bound books. This expedient is useful since paperbacks are almost -universally made with their covers flush with the front edges of the pages.

The present cover is completed by a exible connection strip 26 (FIGS. 1 and 3), preferably of cloth adhesively coated on one side as by plastic coating r[This strip, as `seen in FIGS. l and 3, is secured by its central longitudinal portions to the back edge 13 of the book. The next adjacent parts of the strip are then secured to the adjacent narrow longitudinal areas 27 and 28, respectively, of the paperback book covers 11 and 12, said areas resulting from the fact of the lesser width of the boards 14 and 1S relative to the said covers associated therewith. Finally, the outer lateral portions of the attachment strip 26 are adhesively secured, as at 29 and 30 (FIG. 3) to the adjacent outer face parts of the front and back boards 14 `and 15.

The attachment strip 26 may be of a length fractionally greater than that of the back edge of the book to which it is secured so as to extend slightly beyond and so further protect the adjacent top and bottom edges of the back edge I3 of the book.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 a modi'ded form of the invention is shown. In some of the paperbacks on the market the covers are of scarcely more substance than the pages themselves so that no only the fronts and backs of the books but also the back edges become frayed and torn. In addition, with these as well as with the more substantially covered paperbacks, the back edges frequently become concave after use, and develop ridges and bulges, all as suggested `at 3l, FIG. 4. For coping with such condition, the present invention provides for a filler strip 32 (FIGS. 4 and 5) which may be of material comparaable to fine-textured sponge rubber. This filler is of similar length to the back edge of the book and slightly less in width. It is adhesively attached to said edge, its under face yielding to irregularities such as those just mentioned. Thereafter, the attachment strip 26 is positioned in the manner already described, whereby a smooth back edge surface on the covered book may be formed. If the filler originally is provided with its adhesive coating, the latter, until use of the ller, may be covered by a removable shield 33 of cellophane or like material (FIG. 5) which is peeled off when the filler is to be applied, as suggested in said figure.

The author and title of the book may be carried by a strip 34 (FIGS. l, 3 and 4) adhesively attached to the back edge of the covered book.

A slight modification of the front and back board construction is disclosed in FiG. 6. Here, the front board 14 is shown without covering material overlying its total front face. Instead, adhesive strips are applied to the front, top and bottom edges of the board. The front strip appears at 35 and the top strip at 36. These edge strips are folded over the adjacent respective edge portions of the positioned inner cover boards or sheets 2, 22. It will be understood that the outer faces of the front and back boards ld and l should oe of adequate good appearance and texture since, in this modication, they are exposed to View.

As indicated at 37 (FIG. l), a dot or other mark at the middle of the top and bottom edge areas of the attachment strip Z6, may be provided for readily and evenly locating the central part of the strip on the back edge of the book or on the filler 32, when this is used.

When the attachment strip is applied, the book with its front and back boards in place, should be in closed position. The small arrows at left and right adjacent the bottom of FIG.,4 indicate the parts of the attachment strip which should be pressed inwardly to engage the exposed areas 27, 2S of the paperback book covers, prior to final folding of the lateral parts Z9, 3% of the attachment strip into adhesive engagement with the adjacent portions of front faces of the cover boards. In this way, free opening and closing of the covered book, without any binding action, is achieved. The said exposed portions 2'7, 28 of paperbacks, after a period of use, are often worn and torn, especially at top and bottom. The overlying and adhesively secured parts of the attachment strip permanently strengthen and, in effect, `become part of said portions and form the hinge areas of the book provided with the cover herein disclosed.

The attachment strip should be of such width as to provide substantial overlap of its lateral portions onto the outer faces of the front and back boards to assure strong and permanent adherence thereto, even as to thicker books. The greater amount of such overlap on thinner books in no sense detracts from their good appearance.

The cover of this invention results in a permanent and highly presentable book. It makes it possible for a reader to build up uniform editions of his own choice, using differently colored covers for dierent categories of subject matter. The cover is adaptable for production at low cost and the few parts forming the assembly may be easily packaged, as in an envelope, for efficient shipment, storage and distribution.

Kits or sets of the parts above described for the popularly-sized paperbacks may readily be provided, as already suggested. A set could comprise the front and back cover units in readiness for application, a filler strip for use when required, and the attachment strip. The application of a complete cover is a very brief and easy operation.

What is claimed is:

l. A cover for a paperback book and comprising a pair of cover members in envelope form receiving the original front and back covers, respectively, of the book, each cover member comprising an outer element overlying the outer face of the related book cover `of the paperback, and an inner element overlying the inner face of said book cover of the paperback, said outer elements in position extending short of the back edge of the book leaving exposed areas of the outer faces of the original book cover along said back edge of the book, and a flexible adhesive connection strip attached along its central longitudinal portion of the back edge of the book, and its lateral portions attached, respectively, to said exposed areas of the outer faces of the original book cover and to the adjacent outer face parts of said outer elements of the cover members.

2. A cover for a paperback book and comprising a pair of cover members in envelope form receiving the original front and back covers, respectively, of the book, each cover member comprising an outer element overlying the outer face of the related book cover of the paperback, and an inner element overlying the inner face of said book cover of the paperback, said outer elements in position extending short of the back edge of the book leaving exposed areas of the outer faces of the original book cover along said back edge of the book, a flexible adhesive connection strip attached along its central longitudinal portion to the back edge `of the book, and its lateral portions attached, respectively, to said exposed areas of the outer faces of the original book cover and to the adjacent outer face parts of said outer elements of the cover members, and a narrow contact piece inside each of the cover members at the front edge and limiting insertion of said original book covers whereby the front edges of said cover members in position extend substantially beyond the front edges of the book pages.

3. A cover for a paperback book and comprising a pair of co-ver members in envelope form receiving the original `front and back covers, respectively, of the book, each cover member comprising an outer element overlying the outer face of the related book cover of the paperback, and an inner element overlying the inner face of `said book cover of the paperback, said outer elements in position extending short of the back edge of the book leaving exposed areas of the outer faces of the original book cover along said back edge of the book, a filler strip attached to the back edge of the book to provide a smooth surface thereon, and a flexible adhesive connection strip attached along its central longitudinal portion to the face of the positioned filler strip and its lateral portions attached, respectively, to said exposed areas of the outer faces of the original book cover and to the adjacent outer face parts of said outer elements of the cover members.

4. A cover for a paperback book and comprisinging a pair of cover members in envelope form receiving the original front and back covers, respectively, of the book, each cover member comprising an outer element overlying the outer face of the related book cover of the paperback, and an inner element overlying the inner face of said book cover of the paperback, said outer elements in position extending short of the back edge of the book leaving exposed areas of the outer faces of the original book cover along said back edge of the book, and a flexible adhesive connection strip attached along its central longitudinal portion to the edge of the book, and its lateral portions attached, respectively, to said exposed areas of the outer faces of the original book cover and to the adjacent outer face parts of said outer elements of the cover members, said inner elements of the cover members being of greater width than the said `outer elements so as to overlie the exposed areas of the inner faces of the 5 original `book `cover along the back edge of the book.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 889,719 Rhodes June 2, 2,706,645 Pitner Apr. 19, 2,782,056 Allegretti Feb. 19,

FOREIGN PATENTS 115,462 Austria Dec. 27, 703,675 France Feb. 10, 

